


Protecting the Protector

by JAKQ7111



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Wild Force
Genre: F/F, F/M, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Multi, Polyamory, Queer Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 21:57:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8684911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAKQ7111/pseuds/JAKQ7111
Summary: After Merrick, an old flame of the Princess', rejoins the Rangers after a long absence, Taylor has to face emotions she has never faced before.





	

Taylor placed her hand on the rock. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop. But here she was, watching a scene she didn't want to see.

Merrick whispered something in Princess Shayla's ear. She giggled and pushed him away playfully, but he returned his arms around her, softly nuzzling at her ear and whispering words of love.

Shayla craned her head back, and Merrick planted a kiss at the juncture of her jaw and neck. Simultaneously, the princess and the yellow ranger gasped, the one in pleasured surprise, the other in… she wasn't sure what, but it hurt.

The knight jolted from his lady's side, his hand flying to his dagger. Shayla dropped her hands to her lap, knowing it was one of her guardians, and suspecting she knew which one it was.

“Taylor? I thought that was you. Is everything alright?” Shayla asked, her voice as gentle and expressive as ever.

“I guess...I don’t know...it’s fine.” Taylor replied, trying in vain to hide the pain in her voice. She prided herself on being strong, both of body and of spirit, and this emotion was unfamiliar to her.

Shayla glided across the floor of the Animarium, taking a seat on the large rock beside Taylor, hoping to console her.

“Well, that doesn’t sound fine to me!” she said, placing a gentle hand on Taylor’s back, “Would you like to talk about it?”

“I don’t know! There isn’t anything to talk about…”

 

Shayla just pouted slightly and gave the former soldier her famous doe-eyed stare, pausing to let Taylor speak when she was ready.

“Well...it’s about Merrick.” Taylor admitted, pausing before and stumbling over the silver ranger’s name, as if saying it was physically painful.

Merrick, upon hearing his name, began to tense up. He clenched his jaw, but tried to remain as stone-faced as possible.

“Merrick.” Shayla turned to face her knight, silently leaning against the rock wall of the Animarium, “would you mind leaving the room for a minute while I talk to Taylor?” she asked.

Merrick sighed, slowly nodded his head, and exited the room, pausing to look at Taylor with his princess as he left.

“Thanks.” Taylor plainly stated, the pain still in her voice.

“Of course, Taylor!” Shayla replied, “Now what is it? Are you and Merrick not getting along?”

“It’s not that…” Taylor began, “ Merrick is a fine Ranger and everything, and I’m glad to have him on the team. It’s...you and Merrick. You seem so happy together...so close. It looks to me like there’s...something there between you two that’s...different. Really special.”

“Why, of course what Merrick and I have is special! We have a tremendous amount of history together! He’s been a guardian of the Earth for many, many years, and that naturally would mean that he and I would spend a lot of time together! You develop a very deep, intimate connection with somebody after such a long time.” the princess explained. “I don’t see why that would bother you?”

“It’s not like that. It’s just...why can’t...we...have that special connection?” Taylor’s voice began to break, no longer able to conceal her true feelings even from herself. “When I first joined on as a Ranger, it was just you and me, and those few months we spent together were some of the best of my life. And then once Alyssa and the others started coming on, and you got close to them, it never bothered me, because I knew that we still had that bond between us. But now...now that Merrick is here, and I’m seeing just how happy you are with him…”

Taylor paused, her eyes beginning to well up with tears. She bit her lower lip and squeezed her eyes shut to try and keep from crying.

“I just...I’ve never seen you look and act like this before, and...and…” Taylor looked away and let out a sob, “I want to...I want to make you as happy as he does. I want to connect with you like he does. I want to be special to you like he is!” the normally stoic yellow ranger began to break down in an uncharacteristic expression of emotion.

“Oh, Taylor…” Shayla wrapped her arms around her guardian in a gesture of comfort and affection, “You don’t ever have to worry about that! I’ve known you were someone very special since the moment I first saw you! You are a Guardian of the Earth, Taylor. No matter what, that makes you a very important part of my life.”

Taylor took a deep breath, wiped the tears from her face with her open palms, turned to face Shayla, and took her princess’ hands in her own.

“Thank you. That...means a lot to me.” she began, still stumbling over her words, “Over the last year that we’ve known each other, I’ve felt things I’ve never felt before. Sure, I’ve fooled around and had a couple of short relationships with men...and women...but when I met you, it was just...different. Everything always felt contrived before, but never with you. Every moment we spent together felt totally natural, almost magical, and I think I know why.”

“Yes? What is it?” Shayla asked, already able to guess what her guardian was going to say.

“I...I love you, Princess Shayla. I think you’re the most beautiful, wise, thoughtful person I have ever met, and I am forever proud to be a Guardian of the Earth, not only because of the importance of the mission, but also so that I could meet and get to serve you.”

Shayla squeezed Taylor’s hands, looked into her eyes, still bloodshot from crying, and said, “I love you too, Taylor. Not just because you are a Guardian of the Earth, but because you are Taylor Earhardt. You are brave, loyal, honest, and one of the most staunchly devoted people I’ve ever known, in this time or the past.”

She then leaned in and kissed Taylor’s lips, and for a brief moment, all of the yellow ranger’s fears melted away as she got lost in the magical passion for which she longed.

The princess let go of the kiss, and placed her hand on her guardian’s tear-stained cheek, and said “You know, I just had a wonderful idea! If you would like, I invite you to go stargazing with me and Merrick tonight! It might help you to get to know him better. Now that I think about it, you and he are very similar people!”

“We are?” asked Taylor rhetorically. “I guess we’re both pretty tough, and stern, and…”

“And loyal, and kind-hearted, and most of all, you’re both very protective of me!” Shayla finished, ending her sentence with a giggle.

Taylor let out a slight laugh, “I guess we are pretty similar, if you put it that way! Sure, I’d love to go stargazing with you.”

The princess took her guardian’s hand in hers, sashayed over to Merrick in the other room, whispered in his ear, and placed her other hand in his as the three sauntered off to prepare for the evening’s activities.

Once the sun was fully set, Shayla lay down on the picnic blanket she had set up, Taylor on one side of her, and Merrick on the other. Slowly, the three began to settle in, both into the night and into each other. Taylor nestled up to Shayla’s right side, her arm linked in hers, holding hands and looking lovingly at her princess. Merrick, likewise, grabbed hold of Shayla’s left arm, his other hand gently stroking her thick, brown hair. 

Shayla, a look of pure bliss on her face, sighed happily and said to herself, “My knight and my soldier! I’m so glad they’re getting along!”

Both Taylor and Merrick just softly smiled, basking in their shared lover’s happiness.


End file.
